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Monday, January 10, 2011

Coconut Cilantro Rice

Coconut cilantro rice + soy and brown sugar glazed salmon

Ok, I lied. I have all sorts of resolutions. But, as I mentioned the other day, they have less to do with the new year, and more to do with getting (and staying) on top of this wildly out of control creative machine that is my life right now.

Here are a few things on my list:

Take more photos & better ones. Don't believe that moment when it seems like my phone will take a better photo than my camera. It won't. [See above.... and below for examples of this faulty thinking.]

* Write more: blog posts, freelance pitches, essays. Get started on ideas for another book proposal.

* Walk/ ride more: Writing keeps this rear firmly attached to a chair most days. Instead of driving to the grocery store, I'm going to walk -- even if it adds time.

* Make more interesting meals: Less roasted chicken with a green salad, and more.... Well, I am not quite sure what I'll make more of, but whatever it is, it will feed an army.

We're ten days into 2011 and I've failed miserably at this list.

Except --- I did walk to the Bart and take public transportation to the library. On the way back, I stopped at a hole-in-the-wall market for a dusty can of coconut milk. And then I made this: coconut cilantro rice, a recipe deemed so good that we took a one day breather and then made it again later in the week.

Sticky, savory coconut cilantro rice

It's quick, it's easy, it is really really tasty. It makes you feel healthy and on top of things, like your resolutions and to-do list can be accomplished in one fail swoop. In other words, it's just the kind of recipe you want in your arsenal for the new year.

Coconut Cilantro Rice, adapted a bit from the Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series. This recipe is from the "Weeknight" Cookbook.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup long grain white rice
1 can unsweetened coconut milk Note: I have made this recipe several times and am here to tell you that while using light coconut milk is good, using the full fat coconut milk is sublime. I highly recommend it. It is richer, and you will be satisfied with less.
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro (or less if you prefer)

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly until the rice is well coated with butter -- about one minute. Stir in can of coconut milk, and a cup of water (you want 2.5 cups of liquid, total. The coconut milk in a can I buy is 1.5 cups, so I add another cup of water to get a total of 2.5 cups liquid -- the ideal ratio.)
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, fluff the rice, and stir in the cilantro.

I served the rice with salmon that I doused in a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce, then sprinkled with brown sugar and crushed garlic and baked in a hot (400 degree) oven for 20 minutes. I could eat this meal once a week. It is that good.